Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-02-04

swore and reviled me, and threatened all
manners of violence; and his only provo
cation had been that / threatened to have
him punished if he ever got drunk again
while on duty with me. To be sure he
was under the influence of liquor at the
time: but not so far gone but that he
knew very well what he was doing, be-
cause after reaching the fort on our re-
turn, he had made his boast that he had
given the "Shoulderpop" leo he called
mel a stomach full to carry eff, and he
didn't believe would dare to report him.
But did report him, and l gave his
speech in full, and the old major ordered
court martial, out from the sentence
of which the man came with a hundred
lashes.
Twice he swore to me that he would
carry that g1udge against me whileIwe
10th lived; and he told me it was deadly
grudge.
"Iu neyor forget it," he said the last
time. 81 shall carry those marks on my
back to my grave, snd--you! l hope
you may die before / do!'
Those were his words spoken while l
was stepping on board a steamer at st.
Louis, and l knew that he plainly meant
to help me die if he ever got the chance.
hhu hcic "es WIN olo tAcbly 90 al
| escort.
A hasty review of the whole thing
brought me to rather an unpleasant IN
Outstanding of the present situation. That
Connover still bore the old grudge was
very evident, and it was equally evident
| that he meant to settle the account be-
| tween us on this trip. could not think
thsre in the tent it was to narrow a space.
had arisen, and was upon the point of
| passing cut, with my pistol in my hand,
| when / heard a stealthy footsteF at the
| entrance. Without noiseI sprang to
| front corner, and there crouched down
upon my saddle.
| had scarcely gained the position
when the flap was drawn aside and man
looked in. All! just beyond the face of
the interloper was an opening at the end
of the mountain, and | caught his pro-
file against patch of clear sky. 1t was
the hard bronzed face of James Connov
er!
l held my pistol ready for instant use,
expecting every moment to see him leap
to the spread blankets. But he was very
moderate. He put MS head further in
and seemed puzzled. Once l raised my
pistol, full sure that the man was after
my life, and feared that if l threw a
chance away he might get the better of
me; but did not fire. Something seem
ed to whisper in my ear: "Hold on!
You've hit him once. Be sure you're in
danger before you hit him again." and |
lowered my pistol and watched. Present
ly "Major" came from hiss lips, carefully
but earnestly. "Major!-Major Coch
rane!"
With yawn, as though just startled
from sleep, | returned
'A-a-h! Hellol who's here?'
"Eh? Down here? It's me, Maior-Ser
geant Connover. / was passing round
back of your tent, and though l heard ye
talking with yerself. So, thinking ye'd
be awake, and having something that l
wanted particularly to say, made bold to
come around and look in. The fact is,
Major-I couldn't sleep till I'd set mat
tiers right"
BY this time the fellow had turned so
that | could see that he had no weapon
with him and | began to fear that | had
been little too fearful. However, | got
up and stepped out into the center of
the tented arena and said:
go ahead sergeant; I'm ell attention"
Without further preliminaries he went
on:
OF course you know me?"
81 think have good reason to remom-
Der you, sergeant
"And you remember the last words |
ever spoke to you in the old years?'
II have not forgotten them"
SWELL" he said with palpable burst of
feeling, "them words have been haunting
me ever since / met you at the hotel in
Jefferson. When | was ordered to report
to Major COchrane | never thought of
You. The old affair had almost gone
from my mind; but when | saw your
face | knew you; and when you
looked up at me l was troubled. l
hoped you might not remember me.
If you did not. l emit to hold
my tongue. But couldn't act like my
self. Howsumever, held up till tonight.
But after we'd done supper / kept watch
of your movements, and made up my
mind that you were going to look ont for
me. But major, don't let it go no fur
ther. I'm 700 old soldier not to know
that the harm | suffered at Smelling was
of my own making. | don't bear the old
grudge any longer, and | tell you the
truth when | tell you that you did me
good turn that time. L know how | was
going on, and l know that another officer
will you take my hand and cry quits of
all memories?"
l never gave my hand to a man more
resdily, nor more cheerfully; and | doubt
if in all the western wilds there was
more social and Jolly party than we made
on the following day.